Howley joins Blues

The former Wales captain was forced to quit playing last year due to a wrist injury after becoming European champions with the English side.

But he has now returned to the club he left three years ago to launch a new career as backs coach in his first back-room job.

"This is undoubtedly a huge challenge and we will find out in the next few months whether or not I'm any good at it," said Howley.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing if I can follow in the footsteps of guys like Pat Howard and Fabien Galthie to make a successful transition from playing to coaching."

"It is something that has always been in the back of my mind and I undoubtedly have a lot to learn but it's great to have such strong characters around me."

Howley won 59 caps and twice toured with the British Lions before leaving Cardiff for London Wasps where he won the Heineken Cup last season - scoring the winning try in the final.

He will not take up his new role until the summer due to an operation he will undergo on his wrist. When he does, however, he will complete a new coaching "dream team" at the struggling Blues who
have signed fellow British Lions Richard Webster and Howley's old half-back partner Neil Jenkins in recent weeks to work under Dai Young.

"I'm a proud Welshman and I wanted to come back to Wales when I was forced retire and having played for Cardiff this was the obvious choice," said Howley.

"Leaving Cardiff was probably the best thing I did because I learned more at Wasps than I ever did with Bridgend, Cardiff or Wales.

"It was almost a sponge effect because I wanted to learn as much as I could from the likes of Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards. I was very lucky to be in such a successful environment. Hopefully I can bring some of that knowledge to Cardiff."